A winter offering
by Deamortem
Summary: Ever since Hiccup was young he has been warned of the terrible daemon that haunts berk; marking it's prey every winter solstice. Then when he himself is marked and offered to the daemon as a sacrifice he expects to be killed; the truth couldn't be more wrong through as he awakes, both a prisoner and a guest in the daemons home. (Frsotcup, rated M for content in later chapters)
1. Chapter 1

Winter in berk is cold and treacherous. It lasts for months on end, the days short and brief while people scurry around to fulfill their jobs, the nights morbid with their chilling silence. But that is not all; there is something that lingers in the winter, a weariness in the people that seems to drag at their heels as they trudge through the snow and hollow their souls when they look into your eyes. They are haunted, plagued by the memories of what winter has brought and what it shall bring, consumed by the fears of what that means for them. I also live in that fear.

For as long as I can remember I would play in the summer, surrounded by the other young vikings, lost in the woods and giggling at the edge of the sea; but come winter we were shut away, hidden in our homes and concealed by our parents. We never complained, never protested; we knew too well the reasons why. At first it had seemed silly, like a joke played by our parents to stop us from having fun in the cold but as the years went on we began to understand. To this day I have only once played in the snow.

"Hiccup you must never go outside in the winter," My mother had warned, eyes filled with the terror she felt within, "there is something terrible out there, a daemon which lurks to take young children. You must never let it see you." She had pressed her hands into my checks, holding me firmly until I nodded to show my understanding. My mother is a strong woman but winter seemed to break her, reduce her to flinches and shivers and hasty glances.

I don't remember when we stopped having fun, stopped playing and began to worry about the coming winters; started to understand our parents words. We sat in the woods though; Astrid, Snotlout, Ruffnut, Touffnut, Fishlegs and myself, scribbling with sticks in the dirt as we mused thoughts to each other.

"My father says the daemon devour's children; that's why we have to stay in." Astrid shivers, "It steals them away in the snow when no one can see and takes them back to it's lair."

"Our father told us that it is hideous, with rows of sharp teeth like a shark and black eyes and long claws to hook you with. It lives in a dark cave full of monsters that is so cold it will freeze you to enter." Tuffnut looked up darkly, "If you're not already dead." I shivered unconsciously pulling my furs around my shoulder as Tootless came to rest at my feet. The black wolf was a small comfort in the musty autumn.

"No, no, that's wrong." Fishlegs shook his head, "I've seen them once preparing flocks to give to the daemon as an offering. As long as they appease it then it wont come for us."

"So they can be seen but it doesn't come for them?" I asked, wondering why they would risk appeasing it if they risked being devoured themselves.

"No," It was Snotlout who answered, waving his twig as he spoke, "it only comes for people under sixteen years; children."

"But that's not fair..." Astrid whimpered, gazing at her scratchy drawing of a snowflake, "He ruins everything for us..." And at the time I had agreed.

The years passed and as I grew I began to take more interest in the daemon. I hated being trapped inside; my house so much like a prison for the winter that during the summer I would often leave with Toothless all day and only come back at night. I started asking more questions, talking to elders in an attempt to wriggle the truth from them and listening in on conversations. My father had little to say but my mother finally sat me down.

"My dear boy," She smothered my hair back," You are fifteen, there is only one more winter for you to endure after this and then you will be free." She looked around the room, "Though to what in this village I do not know. The daemon will take animals, he will also take offerings, if he is not satisfied he I pray to the gods we will not find out what he will do." I was shocked as I heard her call the monster who tormented us _he, _as though it were a person.

"How do you know it takes children?" I asked, and she gave me a grim look, filled with the guilt of know the truth and never speaking it.

"Because we give them to him." She whispered, hands firm on my shoulders, "I am not proud of what we have done in the past but we have sworn not to let it happen again. He marks what he wants and when he has put his mark on it we can do nothing but give it to him. When he marked the first child the village refused to let him have his way, " She let go, crumpling into the chair opposite me, hand over eyes, "but that night there was a terrible storm, the houses were nearly uprooted and the farms were all destroyed and the marked boy was found, having froze to death in his home." She was silent for a moment. before looking directly at me.

"The daemon only comes in winter, he'll mark his offering before the winter solstice when he comes to take it. We must hide you, I couldn't bear it if you were taken..."

I had stopped asking questions then, seeing my mothers distress and instead offering to stoke up the fire. But that night I didn't sleep, eyes aching from tiredness but mid racing. Toothless growled lowly at the harsh wind that rattled the windows and I stroked through his soft fur. The winter solstice had passed now so the daemon was gone; it wouldn't make it's mark until next winter, at least that was what I wanted to believe.

A week later though I did something terrible. It was one of the rare moments of sun where the snow storm had calmed and my parents were busy on a fishing haul. I had just eaten lunch and Toothless was sleeping soundly when I heard a sound; a whistling as the wind caught on the edge of the door, blowing the wood gently. I looked over, seeing the small gap where the door lay open, unlocked.

It was so tempting, the blanket of snow that I had never touched stretching out and I lent out nervously. There was no one else there, an eerie silence in the village; no one to shoo me back in or stop me as I hesitantly took my first steps.I imagined the daemon; black eyes flicking, claws scratching across the back of my neck, teeth biting down- I shivered, shaking the thought from my mind; it was past the solstice, it would have gone.

I sat down in the snow, feeling it melt through my clothes and running my hands through the soft powder in amazement. It sparkled beautifully, white and glinting in the pale sunlight. I let myself relax in the coolness, enjoying it for the first time as I breathed in icy sharp air. I'm not really sure how long the boy was waiting there.

When I noticed him I jumped, going to scramble to my feet but stopping when he held out a hand for me to stay sitting. He had a strange appearance; skin pale as the snow around us and hair the same shocking white. His eyes however were a bright, clear, cold blue; watching me intently as a thin smile crept onto his lips. He made his way towards me, leaning on a twisted crook as he walked and sitting down besides me gently.

"Er, hi..." I watched him cautiously, "I haven't seen you here before..." I stated, shocked by his sudden appearance.

"No? Most of the children here are kept inside; some for just the winter, others the whole year." he stated, not really answering the question for himself but for me. not realising I nodded, snatching up the explanation immediately, despite it not providing for his strange looks and thin dark clothes.

"Do you not get cold?" I asked, looking at his bare feet and open shirt.

"A little." The boy shrugged, "But not in the way you'd imagine." I took my fur from my shoulders, instantly feeling the bite of the frost but telling myself that I still had more layers than him as I draped it round his shoulders. He stiffened in shock.

"You probably need it more than I do." I smiled and he relaxed into the fur, a small sparkle in his eyes as he seemed to look off in to the distance for a moment.

"Thank you." He beamed suddenly, reaching over and touching my neck while looking into my eyes. His touch was incredibly cold, almost freezing and I wondered for a moment how long he'd been out there. Then he pulled away, eyes sad and smile small as he stood, "I have to go now, but I'll see you again sometime." His voice was like a whisper in the wind, "And when I do, I'll return this." He snuggled into the brown fur.

"Alright." I looked down at the ground awkwardly, "But I-" I stopped; the boy was gone.

Although the incident was a little strange I thought nothing of it, sitting in the snow a little longer that day before returning home. When my parents came back asking how I was I mentioned nothing of it; not even saying that the door was open and not daring to ask who the boy had been. Things went back to normal and I had almost completely forgotten about what I had done until the smash of the pot my mother was carrying and cry that left her lips a month later.

She stood watching me, eyes wide in horror and legs shaking, the broken clay at her feet. My father ran to her, catching her as she gave in and fell to her knees, eyes never leaving me.

"Val, val! What's wrong?" He cried and all she could do was reach out a finger to point at me. He also turned and I saw his expression drop, like someone had tied a bad of rocks to his legs and thrown him into the depths of the cold arctic sea.

"Hiccup..." He whispered my name, "Did you ever go outside..." Shock ran through me and I began to shake, fear filling me of how he knew and what this meant.

"I-I... I went o-outside...just once, the door was open... I just w-wanted to see the snow..." I stuttered, attempting but failing to smile,"B-but I mean it doesn't mean anything...right?" Neither of them answered, "Right?..." I croaked again as my mother got to her feet and staggered over to me.

"Look at your neck..."She sounded strangled as she spoke, words only just escaping from her lips, "Look what he's done to you." I put my hand up to my neck, only now feeling how cold it was. In panic I ran to the bathroom, stretching it towards a mirror so that I could see. On my neck was a snowy white mark, a small curling fern that looked like it was made from ice but wouldn't budge from my skin. Without even realising I had been marked.

The year seemed to pass quickly; every morning waking with the dread of knowing that I had one less day left with my parents, one less day before I was offered to the monster, one less day before I met my fate. I tried to ignore it at first and while the sun was shining and I was laughing with the other vikings or helping out on the boats or running through the bracken with Toothless I could easily push it aside. But when night came I felt the cold burn at my neck, reminding me that after summer came autumn and after autumn, winter.

There were many arguments between my parents; my mother didn't want to let me go, my father insisted that we had to now; the elders of course had the final decision. They said that if I was given correctly this act could appease the daemon for longer than one winter and while no one wanted to rejoice it was agreed that that was best.

On the night of the winter solstice I found myself standing in my kitchen, preparing to go, surrounded by a few of the elders and my parents. I shivered, dressed with only a piece of white linen round my waist and bronze vambraces round my wrists. One of the older women smeared red paint on my body in markings and across my cheeks; for sacrificial traditions. My mother came round to my side, reaching into my hair.

"Here," She smiled sadly as she began to weave one of the locks, "the bead is supposed to bring good luck. And I pray the gods give it to you son." I nodded, trying to reassure her.

"I'll be fine." I smiled, though I was trying to convince myself more.

"It is time." One of the elders looked sternly and my mother grabbed me; embracing me tightly. My father joined, the three of us holding on for one last moment before we broke apart and I was taken from the house.

The cold hit me hard, my whole body locking as I stepped out, toes going numb instantly in the snow limbs shaking. The air was calm as we walked towards the edge of the cliff, overlooking the dark sea in the pale moonlight. A pole was nailed to the ground and they told me to sink to my knees so that they could tie me by the vambraces to it, a small attempt to stop me from running. By now though I had accepted that it was too late; I would be given to the daemon and devoured as a sacrifice tonight and that would be my fate. I bowed my head as they left, knowing that they were all watching from the safety of their homes and waiting for the moment.

My legs burnt in the snow and I let out a small hiss of pain, urging it to be over soon. And that was when I heard it; a small voice carried in my the wind that seemed to whisper in the edge of my ear.

"You came..." It was a lot gentler than I expected and my head flicked up but I saw nothing. Then the wind started, blowing snow up into the air that wrapped around me and obscured the edge of the cliff from view. Now when I looked I could make out a figure coming towards me through the veil of snow, a dark shape moving slowly closer. I closed my eyes tightly in anticipation; hearing only the howl of the wind and the crunch of it's footsteps. Then I felt a coldness on my cheeks and unable to bare it I let my eyes flash open.

A hooded figure stared back at me, fingers trailing over my face almost lovingly, bright blue eyes meeting mine intently. His cold hands traveled over my shoulder, draining the last of my heat as they slid over my back and down to where my wrists were tied. As I was freed I fell forwards, body exhausted from the freezing cold, chest bumping against his as he supported me for a moment, arms slowly encircling me. And suddenly in my weariness I didn't feel scared. I didn't feel like I was in the arms of a monster who would devour me; I felt like I was in the arms of a savoir who would take me away from the cold. So I closed my eyes and let myself tumble into darkness and wherever he would take me.

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**I'm not really sure what made me write this but there will be a few more chapters later, though I don't intend to make it too long! There will be more explanations and some Frostcup later on though! And just for anyone who doesn't know, daemons are spirits which can be good or bad!**

**I hoped you enjoyed, thanks for reading! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

It was cold but light when I awoke; a sign that the day had already broken and I had made it through the night. I looked around cautiously; body automatically curled into a ball as I expected there to be monsters of all sorts surrounding me but slowly I began to relax. The daemons lair was a cave like the stories had said, but that was where the similarities ended. It wasn't dark and slimy, instead the walls and ceiling were covered in shards of ice, reflecting around the room like diamonds and making the cave light; if a little cold. There were no beasts; the cave sparse save the bundle of furs on the floor which I lay in and a small pale of food; meat it looked like, beside me.

I looked at it for a moment, poking the meat with my finger but not eating it; I was alive, I wouldn't risk that over some food. For now I was alone; the cold cave empty and silent bar the distant sound of waves and the light whistle of the wind. I began to move,sitting up and finding that I was still dressed in the robe that I had been offered in and the vibrant red markings were still stained to my skin. As I removed the furs the cold seemed to rush in, stinging at my skin.

There was a wooden door across the room and I tried to pull it open but didn't feel much disappointment when I found it locked. It seemed that it would only lead deeper into the daemons domain and I didn't want that. I quickly scanned around for another exit.

The front of the cave was covered by plants hanging down from the outside and I didn't hesitate to run towards it; filled with hope for a moment that I could escape and return to Berk. My feet slipped ever so slightly on the ground and I ripped back the leaves, only managing to stop myself at the last moment. The water that had seemed to be far away now crashed against the sheer rocks, black swells forming far below. I took a deep breath, moving back into the cave. Now I was beginning to panic.

I was trapped; sealed in the cold room with no where to go and nothing to defend myself with. When the daemon returned I would only be able to give myself up. The thought wracked fear through me and my body quivered as I staggered back to the furs and collapsed in a heap. I piled the covers around me, backing towards the wall without ever touching it; breathing hard and deeply as I tried to calm down. As the hours slowly passed and the light began to wain I though that perhaps the daemon had left; maybe he wouldn't come back, but it didn't seem right.

Wracking my brain I tried to remember what I had seen of him when he had taken me. He had worn a dark cloak, obscuring his face, and he had a cold touch but strong arms; but what stuck in my mind the most was the image of his cold eyes, breaking through the white. I shivered; it was getting dark but I didn't want to sleep, I couldn't. As the sun set and the cave grew dark I could only hold the dark furs around me tighter and wait.

It was pitch black when I heard the noise; a barely audible rustling as the leaves parted. I stiffened as I heard the soft pad of footsteps which trailed closer to where I lay. Then they stopped and for a long moment nothing moved. My breath sounded so loud, it felt as though it was echoing through the room, drawing the daemon closer. I could imagine those piercing blue eyes shining through the dark, watching me, and finally I couldn't hold back the urge to call out.

"I-I know y-you're there..." I called out; voice braking and muscles tense. There was a shift at my words, the rustle of clothing that announced his presence but no words for a long while.

"You didn't eat your food." His voice sent chills through me; it was soft and calm but there was an edge of disappointment.

"No..." I replied, trying to think quickly for something to say, "A-and I wont until I f-feel safe..." the words seemed stupid almost immediately; of course I wouldn't feel safe, the daemon was probably toying with me before I died. Then his answer made me reconsider.

"And do you not feel safe?" The voice asked.

"No, am I-I supposed to?" I scoffed, fear beginning to die down into caution as we spoke.

"Of course. This is you're home now." I thought I detected a slight note of excitement as he spoke but it was pushed back by my sudden rage.

"This will never be my home!" I spat, "Berk is my home and it will always be!" I could almost feel the anger growing in the daemon as it shifted position. It felt like he was leaning closer, his voice louder, firmer than before.

"Perhaps for now," He growled, "but this _will _be you're home." I yelped as he stood up heavily, not trying to deny his presence as his footsteps began to fade, "So eat your food." He whispered, the clicking of the lock sounding as he opened the wooden door and left. I sighed, feeling calmer knowing that he wouldn't return until morning and somewhere in the darkness I must have fallen asleep because I don't remember when the light started creeping into the cave.

I started, instantly noticing the black cloak of a figure turned away from me at the side of my room, jumping to a sitting position. I felt stupid after a moment when the daemon made not movement towards me and showed no threat, relaxing a little. At the edge of bed was a small plate, the meat removed and replaced with a little fruit; winter berries that dared to grow in the season. I bit my lip, feeling the empty hungriness pinching in the pit of my stomach, considering the food.

"If you're hungry you should eat." The daemon spoke, not turning, and I automatically jumped, shrinking back, "I told you that last night; I won't have you starve."

"I-I'm not hungry." I stated, feeling persistently unwilling to eat. This was all wrong, I should be dead but rather I was being looked after and until my mind could find a rational reason or a means of escape I didn't want to fall into any well covered traps. The daemon turned, earning a loud yelp from me as he stepped forwards. The hood of his cloak was low over his face; obscuring most of his features apart from the thin pink lines of his lips, though I could see now that he was thin and pale, gripping a crook like staff in his hand almost for support.

"No matter, you will eat by the end of today." He spoke confidently and I thought I saw the faint curve of a smile flicker over his lips but they were so soon turned down in a frown that I couldn't tell. "Though you're still covered in paint, it must be uncomfortable?" I looked down at the thick red smudges of red, sticking to my body and leaving stains where it had began to peel off in flakes. It hadn't been necessary in offering myself and now it was beginning to itch.

"Y-yes..." I looked at him cautiously, eyes flicking as I attempted to read him.

"Come then, I will wash you." I stared at him for a moment, unsure what to think at his words. It wasn't what I'd expected and I didn't respond or dare move; unwilling to agree but not wanting to argue against the figure. He lent down, leaving me to crawl back towards the wall, and took my hand. His fingers were cold, gripping mine in a tight hold as he stood and pulling me with him. My body seemed to follow; trembling and nervous as he opened the wooden door and led me through into a new area with was filled with objects that seemed out of place in the 'home'. A large wooden bed for a daemon that didn't sleep, a book shelf for a monster, a table and chairs for a beast that only ate children and livestock. He pulled me further to the edge of the room where a large wooden tub stood, filled with clear water that rippled slightly from an unseen breeze as we drew closer.

"I'm sorry but it will be cold." He let go of my hand, closing the door. I noticed that there was another door across the room but I said nothing, knowing it too would be locked. "I don't have any fire here."I looked at the water, body shaking from cold anyway and closed my eyes as I remembered the words of my friends; _it's so cold it will freeze you to enter, if you're not already dead_. It wasn't a comforting thought but I didn't want to anger the daemon, didn't want to shorten my life any less so I cautiously dipped my foot in.

A shiver ran through me and I bit my lip, stealing myself as I lowered my body into the bracing water. I didn't bother removing the white robe from my waist, sitting so that I was shoulder deep and trying to hold back the small gasps that left my lungs. The water was more than cold; it felt like death.

"Good." The daemon sat behind me, shocking me as he took a small cloth and began to rub away the marks on my back. His hands were surprisingly gentle, moving slowly over my skin and hesitating when I shuddered. "Here, you don't need these." He stopped to lean round me and remove my vambraces; the only piece of my clothing that reminded me that I was a viking and not a slave, then he came round to face me; face still hidden under the front of his cloak. He ran his hands over my chest, washing the red away into the water so that it looked like I was sitting in a small pool of blood. His hands were unwavering, unaffected by the cold, and I felt no warmth from them as they graced my flesh.

"You're not very talkative today?" He spoke suddenly; the flash of a sharp grin visible once again, "I wonder if I scared you a little too much last night."

"I-I'm not scared." I stated instinctively, putting my hands over my mouth to cover the nervous stutter as his smile grew, "I'm not." I firmly added. As if feeding of my resistance the daemon moved closer, watching hungrily as I froze up instead of jumping, staring ahead as he lowered his lips to my ear.

"Are you sure?" He whispered. I gulped audibly, then the strangest thing happened. He leaned back and laughed; a light innocent sound that rang through the room and shocked me more than anything else had so far. "I'm sorry, I don't want to scare you," H calmed himself, "after all this is your home now." He gestured to the room before taking the cold cloth to my face and removing the last of the red paint. "You are a guest here," He said absentmindedly, "so I will treat you well."

"A guest?" I ventured; voice shaky from the surprise and the way that the water was chilling me through to the bone, "T-then I will be a-allowed t-to leave?"

"No." My heart sank, the small flame of hope quickly smothered, "You are a guest here but you are still mine..." His finger tips traced the frost fern etched onto my neck slowly, lingering a little too long on the exposed skin before snapping back. "Here, you must be getting cold." He opened a trunk and pulled out a thick woven blanket, always remaining so that he could see me. I obediently climbed away from the tub, relief filling me as I left the icy water but the air being only slightly warmer.

As he reached around me to drape the towel over me I could see him smiling to himself, something which troubled me deeply as well as leaving me slightly curious. The heavy material was a comfort and I sighed into the sudden warmth, shuddering as my body regained feeling from it's numbness. Standing like this it was the first time I noticed how small the daemon seemed, fragile almost with his thin limbs and bare toes.

"What's your name?.." The request was small, the words lingering in the air slightly awkwardly as though he didn't know if now was the right time to ask the question. From anyone else it would have seemed normal but from him it seemed so strange, like there must be an ulterior motive that made me reluctant.

"It's Hiccup." I answered after much debate; I didn't want to resist while I was a _guest_, but the next words left my mouth unconsciously, "Do you have a name?" The daemon stopped rubbing at my skin, freezing for a moment before answering.

"Yes; they named me once but no one calls me by it now..." He was very close, hands scrunched into the towel and I wondered if I had said something wrong, "If you want you could call me by it but I'm not really worthy anymore..." His voice was vulnerable, sot in reminiscence as he seemed to think of a better time.

"That's fine," I offered, shuffling, "I need something to call you if I'm going to stay here." I had no intention of staying but I needed something to say that would convince me he wasn't preparing to devour me after all.

"Jack Frost..." He whispered, his name a breeze caught in a strong wind. I stood still, mind filled with the tales my mother had read to me of the Jokul Frosti long ago. He was the old man of winter that protected out village and brought us snow at the change of the seasons, but he was not evil in any of the tales she had recited before bed. "You probably haven't heard of me, but long ago things were different and I was a well known tale." He shook his head, returning to rubbing my chest down.

"No, I know you... but not, _you_..." I told him, "When I was younger my mother used to tell me of both the winter sprite and the daemon; I would have never linked the two though..."

"Well I was always a daemon." He smirked and I caught the small glimpse of his blue eyes, lit up excitedly behind his hood. There was something about knowing his name that gave him more definition, that drew him out of the legends and towards reality because now I could be certain that the boy in front of me was very little like what I had been told and I would have to start with the things I knew to be truth, not what I had been told.

"You should wear these, they'll keep you warmer than those rags." He held out more material, "I got them for you this morning." The gesture was small but I smiled a little as I accepted them. No, I didn't have anything to be grateful for; I was a prisoner, kept against my will, I shouldn't appreciate anything he did for me. I began to change, nervous under the ever watchful concealed eyes of the daemon. He sat on the bed, waiting as I pulled the dark shirt over my head and wriggled my legs into the leather pants. I gave my shaggy hair a last dry before standing still; watching the ground nervously to pass the tension.

"Perfect." He walked past me, grabbing my hand smoothly as he passed and pulling me along with him. There was a slick way that he moved, as though he was gliding across the floor without hesitation or uncertainty in him as he opened the door and took me back to the pile of furs. I sat down when he indicated and he lent opposite me. "We are going to have a lot of time to talk so I won't rush you but I don't want you to be afraid of me. You will be happy here; happier than in a village that so easily sacrificed you to die in the cold."

"They didn't do it easily." My brow hardened at his words, "You marked me, they had no other choice."

"And I will still treat you better than they ever did." He was firm and final and I bit my lip, glaring slightly, unable to accept that.

"Why would you mark me?" I asked, resentment at the fact that I was chosen.

"I have my reasons." He stood, "But we'll have a lot of time to talk, for now I have things to do." He took his staff from the wall and walked to the edge of the cave, pulling back the lush curtain to reveal the black sea beyond. "I'll see you soon." I frowned, knowing that he would leave through the entrance but unsure how he would escape falling to the freezing depths. The boy jumped, cloak billowing out behind him and for some reason I ran forward with a gasp. He was gone, disappeared into the waves or the grey snow-laden sky; I couldn't tell.

I spent the rest for the day waiting, sitting boredly in my prison with nothing to do but wait for his return and even later that night he didn't come back. I didn't know what to think of him; the daemon I now knew as Jack Frost who had treated me strangely but not badly. Though before night fell I had eaten the food he had left, the worry that he was going to kill me gone from my mind.

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**So, this is how it's going! Hopefully it's alright and not too bad to read but it's definitely how I wanted it to be so I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter; the next one will be a little while because of the holidays but probably not much longer than a week! :)  
**


	3. Chapter 3

Jack returned infrequently and sporadically throughout the following weeks. There would always be food provided at my bed and the occasional gift of clothing to change in to or another fur if the nights grew colder but his presence was often lacking. Sometimes I would stay up and wait for him, disappointed when morning crept in and the food was present but he wasn't. Other times when he returned earlier he would sit and talk to me, only ever asking simple questions like how I was feeling and if I was content. Of course I wasn't but I always answered yes, worried that he might not return other wise and I would have no break from the solitude of the cave.

My days were long, dragging and lonely. I tried to escape many times, once even daring to try and climb out from the cave entrance but the rocks had been so steep that I had had to return. The only form of entertainment I had at first was in a small stick I had found which I used to etch a few shapes and drawings into the wall, picking at the rock till it crumbled. Other than that there was no where to go in the cold room and nothing to do but sit around and wait.

At one point I found a small stick and began to dig patterns into the frost covered walls, etching them firmly so that the small pictures began to spiral out from where I sat. I no longer feared my situation, didn't worry that I would be killed but that didn't mean I was happy. On this particular afternoon I was grouchy, the need to stretch my legs coming forward and a memory of winters locked in my home strong in my mind.

The faint sound of the parting of the leaves and the light patter of footsteps seemed to resonate through the room but I didn't look up. Finding it unusual that he had returned so early but expecting him to ignore me. I continued scratching, this time a shape of a wolf with coarse fur into the stone; Toothless. The footsteps came to a stop next to me.

An icy sharp breath on the side of my neck made me tense up, hand stiff as I waited nervously.

"So you like to draw?" It was the first time since our first meeting that he'd asked me a proper question and I couldn't help but let go of my stick and turn to face him. The daemon was incredibly close, nose almost touching my cheek but dark hood pointed down so that I still couldn't see all of his features. He made no attempt to move, leaving it to me to slowly inch back; like a prey trying to cautiously pull away from it's predator.

"Y-yes, I used to draw quite a lot..." I whispered.

"Really?" He seemed genuinely interested, "Are you any good?"

"I suppose." I couldn't read him from just his lips, a pair of unmoving thin lines.

"I see." He stood, ending the conversation so suddenly that I wondered if he had actually had any interest to start. I sighed, "I'm only drawing now because I have nothing else to do... It's so boring being trapped in here and you said you'd treat me well but so far I-" I stopped myself, eyes widening at my own words.

"You are not trapped, you are a guest." He hissed the words that he kept trying to convince me, anger laced onto his tongue, "And I treat you well. If you'd rather I can treat you badly?" he took a step closer, shadowing me with his moth turned now.

"No..." I breathed nervously, heart thumping with the sudden threat. I had become too relaxed and forgot never to anger a daemon. But Jack Frost did nothing, he turned on his heel and marched towards the locked door, allowing himself in and slamming it so that I was once again alone. I felt like a hound; locked out on the floor, kept on a short leash.

It wasn't long before my ears pricked to clunky turning of the lock and the door opened again. Jack stormed forwards and for a moment I flinched, thinking that he might hit me but rather he threw something down at my feet and turned to the side as if refusing to acknowledge what he had just done. I cautiously picked up the leather wrap, unfolding it to reveal a set of charcoal instruments and parchment bound together by thick string.

"I want you to be happy here." He spoke, not looking at me, "Next time tell me when there's something that you want and I will provide it." I bit my lip, questioning whether I should reply.

"Thank you." I finally murmured. I had told myself that I wouldn't be grateful to him for anything but I was now. It was obvious that he was still fighting his frustration but he said nothing about it and I didn't consider that perhaps he wasn't frustrated at me. "Why do you want me to be happy here?" I asked, desperately seeking answers. He sighed heavily and sat down beside me, reaching his hand into his hood to squeeze the bridge of his nose.

"How many times must I explain it to you?" The annoyance was faint in his light voice but still there, "This is to be your home and I am going to treat you well while you are here so I want you to be satisfied here." I frowned at his words.

"But why me? Why did you mark me to stay here?" I asked quietly.

"Well I-" He stopped, mouth closing and my small hope that he would explain diminished as he moved closer, "What's this?" He asked, hand slowly moving into my hair. I flinched, ready to pull back but as I felt his fingertips close around the end of the small plait my mother had tied I stopped.

"T-that?" I murmured at his proximity, neck rigid, "Well my mother made it before I left, the bead is for good luck."

"Is that so?" He twisted it but thankfully didn't untie it.

"I love my mother very much, she is is strong but kind, and cared for me so much..." He tilted his head slightly to the side as he listened, "But she was always so burdened, ever since I was born she spent the whole time worrying that I wouldn't be safe..." I couldn't stop now and I whispered the words that were begging to come out, "That I would be taken by you..."

He sighed but not angrily, falling back onto the furs so that he was flat on his back and pulling his hood down so that it almost touched his mouth. With his body splayed like a star I noticed how thin he was, how frail his limbs looked and how unmenacing he seemed now.

"People always say things that they don't understand." He voiced, "They make wild assumptions that they have no proof for and get fearful so easily."

"You killed a boy." I stated, feeling strangely defensive and not understanding his point, "You mark animals and take them every year from us. We have all the right to be afraid!"

"You don't understand what it's like..." He whispered, voice darker as he sat, "I have done things that I regret but _they_ make it worse... I have to take something, even this year or they will forget..."

"Even this year, after you've taken me?" I asked, not picking up anything else he said, "Am I not enough as a sacrifice to appease you?" My voice was desperate, picturing the horrific winters he would bring down on the town when they had hoped that would be enough.

"Yes." Jack's lips were thin firm again and just like that the conversation halted and he was a closed book again, standing so that he was now looming over me, a shiver sprinting down my spine."I have given you a gift."He said flatly, motioning towards the paper, "Now be good and appreciate it." He wasted to time leaving through the entrance. I made no attempt to get up this time, hands scrunched into balls angrily. He treated me like a child, like a toy, like a pet and I hated could say I was a guest but I would never be and I would never be happy; not while I was locked away and not while he was still going to the village. I realised then that I knew nothing about Jack Frost; that i understood nothing more than that he was a daemon who had taken me. I shook my head, that was all I needed to know.

My anger made me do something stupid which I had considered but knew I shouldn't. I began to gather furs and wrap them round my limbs, tying them tight with the string from the parchment and heading to the opening where the sea crashed at the sharp rocks. I took a deep breath, anger and adrenaline flooding my veins and stopping me from waiting too long. I had to get away. I took the plunge into the swirling waves.

The water was colder than ice. It seized my chest, forcing the air from my lungs and causing me to gasp. I had no time to think, forcing my legs to move, forcing myself to swim; if I didn't I knew that I would freeze to death. I moved sluggishly, the cold water like a weight tied to my legs, slowing me in my attempt to find a ledge to climb out onto. Thoughts flashed across my mind of the dark waters taking me, my body sinking to the oceans floor. I shook them away quickly.

Finally I found a place where the cliffs dropped and I heaved myself up, weak and fingers scrambling in the dirt to get a hold.I allowed myself a moment to breathe, heart racing and body shaking. My head whipped round, half expecting to find the daemon waiting but he was no where to be seen. I had defied him, run away from the lair but now I was out I had no idea what to do next.

I couldn't return to Berk, he would find me and bring harsh winters on the rest of my family, I was sure. But I couldn't just sit there. I was cold and now that I thought rationally I hadn't eaten anything today. I gave a sigh, gathering myself and walking into the woods ahead. The trees were dark and thick, closely packed furs that seemed to stretch up in a never ending canopy. I ran my hand along the bark as I walked, not knowing any woods this dark on Berk.

Then something roused me from my dressiness, a sharp pain that seemed to stab into the crook of my neck. My hand flew up to the frost fern that had been marked on my skin, finding that the skin that was usually slightly colder was burning hot. I winced, stumbling but picking up the pace. The pain seared through my rational thoughts, driving me onward in the hope that it would subside but as I got further into the woods it only seemed to get worse.

In the end I sat down, scraping at the snow over the floor and holding it up to my neck but the cold did calm it. I sank back against the nearest tree. So this was it; I would die here, having managed to escape. I wouldn't be killed by the daemon but rather a combination of cold and hunger and exhaustion. I allowed myself a small smile my tiredness from the water caught up with me, sinking into sleep.

When I woke it was dark, night having fallen over the forest and leaving the eerie trees standing like still shadows around me. I didn't feel any better from sleeping, the frost reaching my bones and my limbs still shaking in these damp furs, the sharp howl of a wold snapped me to my senses though. I wobbled to my feet, hoping that my legs wouldn't falter beneath me and began to trudge on, eyes ever watchful and ears pricked. The second and third howls of the wolves made me break into a run though. They were closer, louder than before and even in my exhaustion I was able to find the will to run, hear flicking around and eyes wide.

The glints of eyes in the shadows as they caught the bright moonlight told me all I needed to know and when I felt my foot catch on a rock buried beneath the snow I knew it was over. I fell, scrunching myself up and covering my head, waiting to be pounced on by the wolves. Their feet were light on the snow but the patter seemed to roar in my ears. I should have closed my eyes but something made me look and I uncoiled slightly when I saw a figure step from the shadows.

He faced away from me, dark cloak billowing in the wind and shoulders set as he stood between the wolves and me. When the beasts came into sight, fangs bared, now stalking towards him I reached out a hand, my will finally fading. There was a sharp blue flash, jagged sparks flying from around the boy and the undeniable strangled whine of a dying animal. I froze, watching as he turned to me, the wolves no longer closing in.

Words tried to form in my mouth but I was so cold now that I let them fade, sinking into the snow. He was by my side in a second, hands reaching round me and I felt a strange deja vu of when I was first taken by the daemon,of the safety in his arms and the care in his touch. Now I was tired and as the blackness began to seep into my eyes and the darkness took over I saw a pair of bright blue eyes on a soft face with a concerned expression and a spark of white hair staring back at me. on that I felt I could remember but before I could place it I tumbled into sleep.

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**Sorry it took a bit longer than I thought to get round to writing this... I'll try and stay on top of it though and thanks for all the positive reviews so far! :) This chapters a bit iffy but more will be revealed as the story continues!**


	4. Chapter 4

The first thing that I noticed when I woke was that the biting cold had gone and I was now surrounded by a warmth. Then I noticed that the burning sensation was gone from my neck and as I opened my eyes I realised that I was no longer in the woods; or in the room that I had been staying in for that matter. I was instead in a place that I had only been once before when I had been washed by the daemon. I was lying on the bed of furs, tucked in between the layers.

I looked up, seeing the hunched figure of Jack Frost, lending on his staff on the end of the bed. Immediately I sat up, the covers slipping away from me and revealing to my surprise that most of my clothes were missing. I gave a little yelp and pulled the covers back up to my neck, also conscious of the cold. He turned, mouth turned into a small frown but said nothing, the both of us sitting in an unusual silence. I was the first to speak.

"You saved me..." I whispered nervously. He nodded.

"Of course." He spoke calmly. There was no hit of anger in his voice and I had expected him to be furious that I had left him but rather he acted like nothing had happened. "I wouldn't have left you to die, knowing where you were."

"How did you find me?" I frowned, curious. He shuffled closer, slender fingers reaching out towards me. I didn't flinch at his cold touch this time, allowing him to carefully trace alone my neck.

"The mark; it binds you to me so I will always know where you are and you will always know when you are away from me." I sighed, remembering the burning feeling; that had been the mark calling him and while I was grateful I knew that it was a string between us that couldn't be broken. I was truly a collared pet to the daemon. For some reason I didn't feel angry about it though, for that moment I was merely relieved not to be dead.

"Ok, I'm sorry I left..." I murmured, apologising quickly so that he wouldn't be angry but instead of the wrath I expected he shook his head.

"It was my fault." He breathed, "I shouldn't have gotten angry and I shouldn't have pushed you to want to leave." I was stunned and he took my silence as a leave to continue, "I realised that I have been doing things wrong. But not anymore, I will make it perfect for you here, so good that you wont leave; not because you can't but because you won't want to." He was sincere and for the first time in a while I let myself smile a little. He was so confusing and I couldn't see how he thought, couldn't figure out what made him act like this to me.

"If I'm going to stay here then can I see you properly?" I asked, taking in how he seemed to flinch a little at my request.

"I don't know..." He shuffled a little, moving away, "Showing you, it worries me..."

"Why?" I asked, frowning with confusion. He was silent for a moment but I didn't pressure him, knowing that he would explain.

"I am worried..." He whispered, "that if I show you then you'll be angry..." He looked vulnerable, body pulled in tightly, "You'll know that it was me who took you, after you did something kind for me... I am ashamed of many things I have done and I shouldn't have taken you after how you treated me," He continued, "but I had to. I just couldn't stop myself..." I thought about his words, still slightly lost.

"But you have taken me and unless you let me go now you can't turn back.." I felt silly, this was a daemon, Jack Frost, that I was talking to. He didn't need to hear it from me, "It's too late now to worry, I deserve to see you..." I sat up, moving closer to him for the first time.

Usually I wouldn't have dared but after all this realised that he didn't want me dead so no matter what I did now he wouldn't hurt me. I lent over him, hands cautiously hooking over the edges of his heavy hood, pausing for him to stop me but when he didn't move I gently pulled it back, eyes widening at the face that met me.

The sharp blue eyes that stared back at me were enchanting and I was caught for a moment in their spell, unable to move. Then as I slowly pieced together the features; the grayish skin, the white hair, I remembered the day when I had ventured into the snow on Berk. I remembered the boy who had sat with me and the way he had acted after I had given him my furs. I sat back with a sigh, watching as the eyes which had been covered for so long narrowed slightly.

"See," He whispered, "Now that you know who I am you feel deceived? I simply picked you out when you were only kind to me on that day. So now you have a face to hate you wont-"

"I don't hate you!" I interrupted him, "I can't say that I like you, but I am grateful for some of the things you've done for me. You've taken me twice now from the cold and I would be dead if you hadn't." I knew that the first time I was a sacrifice and the second I had been trying to free myself from him but when I excluded him taking me I found it hard to be angry. And looking at the boy in front of me felt like a new begging.

"I will always look after you." He was serious and I could see the feeling in his eyes, despite his set lips. I wondered if every time we had spoken and he had seemed so cold his true feelings had been hidden behind the hood, all the emotion that his eyes would have shown lost somewhere between words. I shook my head, clearing my mind. I shouldn't be defending Jack.

"Y-you said things would be different." I broke the silence, backing towards the wall a little, "How?"

"Well I will let you stay in this room now," He gestured, "so that you are warmer." I frowned a little, even in here the walls were cold stone and ice seemed to find a way of forming in the corners and on the floor, but it was better than sleeping on the floor. "Also, I will take you out when ever you like." She smiled slightly, the action looking slightly strained on his face but at the same time natural.

"Ok..." I paused for a moment before asking the question on my mind, "W-will I be allowed to visit my family."

"No." He simply replied, but a strange look flashed across his face, "...Though if that is what you _truly _want then I will consider it." I nodded, seeing the obvious effort he was making, not to just decline like he wanted and to think bout me. "Now come, I have something to show you." He stood, an I watched as a small

I sat up, the blankets slipping from my skin and falling to my waist. The cold caused goosebumps to rise over my bare shoulders and I was reminded that I still had no clothes.

"Oh, here." He put a small bundle of clothes down next to me. "I had to remove your other clothes," He looked away, "they were wet and you would have frozen." For a moment I thought I saw a slight pinkening under his cheeks but I must have been mistaken because he once again had a set expression, refusing to look at me as I began to scramble into the clothes.

Once I was dressed he took my hand, leading me towards the far door. I noticed then a key that hung from his neck and he drew it out to open he door, revealing a corridor that I had never seen before. He lead me down it quickly and silently until it opened up a the end, bright light shining down on us. I gazed up, the sky blue and the breeze blowing against my skin. We were outside.

I looked a Jack, surprised to find him smiling slightly back at me.

"You wanted to go outside, so you shall." He lent in, fingers once again gracing my neck, "I can find you where ever you go so I don't worry about loosing you." I nodded, swallowing hard. There was a glint in his eyes as he spoke, something that I hadn't seen before, but before I could say anything it was gone.

"What did you want to show me?" I asked.

"Come." He lead me off into the woods, the snow still thick on he ground but the sky blue and less foreboding than before. The bright morning light made the trees bleak and still, their branches blowing a little, and though it all looked the same to me Jack obviously knew where he was going. I found myself staring at him now that I could see him, eyes focused on taking in his features. I had seen him before back on Berk, and even then thought that he looked a little strange, but now I was even more confused. How could someone who looked so gentle be a daemon? here was no hint of malice in his eyes and while some of his features were sharp he looked more vulnerable and child-like than I had expected.

Finally we stopped, he trees opening up to a clearing. It was large with the occasional boulder sticking up from under he blanket of show and a large crater in the snow where something was obviously hidden. Jack let go of me, spinning his stick absently towards the indent. The snow spun up into the air, sweeping clean of the icy surface below and raining down on us.

I took a breath, eyes cast upwards at the flakes as they slowly fell. It was beautiful, I couldn't deny it and I held my hand out to catch a few before they hit the ground. I looked up, feeling Jack's eyes on me, surprised to find him smiling a little as he watched. Then he looked away, towards the cleared ground. here was now a frosty surface of a lake, water frozen over and pale cracks beneath the surface showing through.

Jack sat on one of the rocks and while for a moment I thought about trying to run away again, I decided against it and walked over to sit beside him.

"How did you do that?" I asked, motioning with my head towards the last pieces of still falling snow. Jack looked back.

"Oh, just a little help from the wind. But snow is what I'm best with, I can do many things with it." As if to prove what he meant the boy held out his palm and I watched as small wisps of frost seemed to dance across his skin until a simple snowflake flew from his hand. He flexed his fingers, making the flake spin before it came towards me, landing on the edge of my nose and melting.

"That's amazing," I marveled, "How do you do it?"

"It's just something I've been able to do ever since I became a daemon." He shrugged, then he smiled a little, "But I can do so much more." He stood abruptly, clutching his staff tightly and spinning it so that the snow flew away in a blast to reveal the cold, dead ground below. He flipped it across his fingertips before touching it down to the ground. Frost bloomed from the contact, curving in swirls like he one on my own neck and snaking outwards. Jack began o walk backwards, trailing the staff behind him so that the frost followed.

I stood too, unable to stop myself from smiling as I watched him jog and turn with the stick, the beautiful trails following him. He looked up and our eyes met, his lips curving into a smile and his eyes relaxing as he span before his feet lifted from the ground. Snow seemed to build from his staff, spiraling upwards before bursting into thousands of flakes and raining down on us.

I laughed, eyes lighting up in wonder. My whole life I had been convinced that daemons brought nothing but pain and darkness to humans, bu Jack brought something beautiful; a new meaning to winter that I hadn't seen before. I looked back to Jack as the boy let himself return to the ground. He was smiling a little again and for a moment I forgot everything, wondering what things would have been like if we had met on happier terms. I had never really been a person of aggression or hatred and I sighed, rubbing the bride of my nose with my thumb and forefinger as I thought. Sometimes you just have to do what will make things better, even if at the time they don't seem right.

"What's wrong Hiccup?" Jack asked, "Did you not like that?"

"No, I did." I ran the thought through my mind once more before voicing it, "There's something you need to know. Sometimes I don't think you're bad but then I remember that you took me from my home and my family and I realise that I can't forgive you." His smile dropped immediately as I spoke, "I won't ever be happy with you, even if you let me go out, even if you bring me everything I ever want." He growled, stepping forwards, but I ignored him, continuing, "But I want to be happy. And I don't want to angry or vengeful. So... I want to start again." Jack sopped, eye blank.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"I-I want to start over." I felt more nervous now, maybe it was a bad idea, maybe it wouldn't make a difference, "I-I think that if we start again, we can be ourselves, no secrets, no offerings... I won't run away and you'll treat me well." I used his own words as I spoke.

"I think I understand..." Jack looked a little unsure but he nodded.

"Ok," I stretched out my hand uncertainly, "My name is Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third. I'm sixteen years old and from the island of Berk." He took my hand lightly, not really shaking it but answering.

"I am Jack Frost, the daemon of winter and your host." I smiled, shaking the snow out of my hair from where it was still falling. I felt a little better, there was a chance that if things went right I might be allowed to go back home, and until then I might be happier. If I could make him see then he would be more understanding after all he was human, he could be reasoned with. Jack smiled at me, holding my hand from where they had just been touching and pulling me gently. "Shall we go back?" He asked me.

"Yes." I nodded, I would definitely see my family again.

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**Sorry his took such a long time to update and parts of it aren't great. I'm working on something important a school a the moment so I'm not able to spend as much time as I'd like working on stories. I hope to post chapter 5 soon but I can't make any promises at the moment... Sorry!**

**Also my 'T' button is a bit broken so please excuse any spelling mistakes where words are missing 'T's, I've tried to correct them but I don't know if I've got them all!**

**Please review, I really like to hear your opinions and I don't mind constructive criticism! :)**


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